Saturday, December 17, 2016

In spite of the effort made by Uber, the drivers call to new blockages – Le Figaro

The company’s VTC, which refused initially to discuss the threat, had agreed to meet with representatives of the drivers at the request of the government. Six drivers have also been placed in police custody after violent altercations.

They believe that Uber is making fun of them and is trying to gain time. While the platform of VTC has agreed Friday night to discuss with the drivers in anger, the two organizations behind the mobilization of drivers since Thursday have called this Saturday to new shares. In front of a few dozen drivers on strike gathered at the porte Maillot, representatives of Unsa-VTC and Capa-VTC have sounded the end of the truce of 24 hours decided the day before. Objective: block access to Orly airport.

Uber was, however, eventually take a step in their direction, despite his initial refusal to yield to the threat. In this weekend of holidays, alternating circulation and last straight line for the Christmas shopping, Uber had yet finally decided to answer the call of the government, and agreed to meet the protesters. In a statement, the group claimed to have made contact “immediately” with the representatives of the drivers for the round-table segment after the truce deadlocks during 24 hours to be decided by these last Friday… and this “despite unacceptable threats and violence”.

“for Uber, it is a little clever. At 11.30 they sent us an email that said, ‘stop everything, you are called to try to discuss’, Uber is making fun of us,” said the megaphone Sayah Baaroun, spokesman for the Unsa-VTC. “Uber wants to win more time” and “choose its interlocutors”, felt his side Hassan Benbarak, Capa-VTC. He lamented that Uber has offered Friday night in his press release of a round table segment with all stakeholders, and not with the only two unions that organized the mobilization since Thursday. He warned that “the ile-de-france will have serious problems on the airports and train stations”. “From Monday, we will block the local Uber”, he added.

Since Thursday, the actions of the drivers, discontented against the platform of the VTC were multiplied, to denounce their working conditions and their standard of living have interfered with the travellers arriving or leaving Paris: caps on some of the highway access to Paris, blockade of the airports of Roissy – Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly airports, but also violence between drivers of VTC. Seven drivers of VTC had also been arrested following altercations between drivers strikers and non-strikers, but also with the police and the six were eventually placed in custody. Uber has announced the filing of a complaint and demanded police protection. “The threats against the employees of the platforms has intensified in recent times. These threats come directly from individuals identified who called for the protests and their continuation today, and tomorrow”, explained the company.

This violence has not prevented the government from receiving the troublemakers and the secretary of State responsible for Transport, Alain Vidalies, had summoned the company of VTC’engage in discussions with all trade union organizations, in accordance with the practice of other platforms from the French and for the proper functioning of social relations”. Yesterday evening, the company of VTC requested to be received by Alain Vidalies, “in order to be able to clarify all of these points, answer questions and demonstrate its commitment to the drivers”.